The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI) traded down during the month. Overall, the index fell 3.82% from April to May. While U.S. steel prices moved sideways throughout April, the bias appeared increasingly to the downside as buyers pulled away from the market due to tariffs. Steel Prices Slide Lower As Bearish Signals Mount After […]
Category: Ferrous Metals
How U.S. Manufacturers Shift Gears and Save Money Amid Metal Price Volatility
U.S. manufacturers in the automotive, appliance and general industrial sectors are overhauling procurement strategies as economic volatility and swings in steel, aluminum and copper prices squeeze margins. Recent U.S. tariff actions have jolted metals markets, sending input costs soaring for downstream manufacturers. According to Reuters, the uncertainty not only triggered panic buying but extended lead times […]
Did the UK Take a Steel Giant Hostage to Save Its Industry?
The UK Parliament recently passed a law allowing the government to take control of British Steel, a major player in the local steel industry. The move follows Chinese owner Jingye’s plans to shut down two operating blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe site. A Bold Move Towards UK Steel Industry Preservation The House of Commons, Parliament’s […]
Tata Steel Ups its Game at Port Talbot With $1.56B Overhaul
Tata Steel recently signed an agreement to install a new pickling line at its Port Talbot site in Wales. The steel industry leader’s latest move will offer 50% more capacity than the existing line. According to the company’s April 9 announcement, the new equipment will have an annual capacity of 1.8 million metric tons and […]
Construction MMI: China Tariffs Climb to 145%. What it Means for China-Sourced Construction Materials
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) broke out of its over 6-month-long sideways trend to pivot down 5.41%. This new movement outside of its sideways range could indicate more volatility in the short term than the index experienced in the past 12 months. The new Trump tariffs on China caused some volatility in the price […]
Fortress Europe? EU Slams the Gate on Steel Imports in Dumping Crackdown
Amid chaos from steel tariffs, the European Commission plans to tighten steel import quotas on April 1 over fears of dumping on the bloc. Those fears primarily stem from U.S. President Donald Trump’s implementation of 25% duties on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, which came into effect in early March. The […]
Automotive MMI: New 25% Automotive Tariffs in Effect, How is the Market Responding?
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) rose by 4.33% month-over-month. With the 25% Trump tariffs now in effect, the market could be in for a bumpy ride. New Wave of Trump Tariffs Hit The Trump Administration implemented two sweeping trade actions, collectively known as the “Trump Tariffs,” that are reverberating across U.S. industries. First came […]
Raw Steels MMI: Steel Prices Level Off, Lead Times Shrink
The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI) returned to the downside. Overall, the index witnessed a modest 0.75% decline from March to April. Steel Prices Find Peaks as Reciprocal Tariffs Spare Steel Steel prices either found a peak or began to stabilize by the start of April. As of April 4, hot rolled coil prices […]
British Steel to Start Consultations on Closing Blast Furnaces
Steel Industry leader British Steel is set to start consultations on permanently blowing down the operating blast furnaces at Scunthorpe. The move comes after the company failed to reach an agreement with the UK government on financial aid for conversion to green steelmaking. “Since 2020, the shareholder of British Steel, Jingye, has invested more than […]
Historical Price Trends for Industrial Metals Over the Past Decade
Over the last ten years, industrial metal prices have gone on a wild ride, rising, falling and rising again, thanks to everything from global economic swings to supply chain hiccups and geopolitical drama. If you’re in manufacturing, investing, or policy, keeping tabs on these price trends isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Steel Historical Price Trends […]
